


Dizzy on the Comedown

by earthlings



Category: Cats (1998), Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Bodyswap, F/F, Multi, Multiple Bodies, Multiplicity/Plurality, Nonbinary Character, Other, Post-Canon, Sharing a Body, Trans Character, Twins, Two Minds One Body, two bodies one mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23110963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earthlings/pseuds/earthlings
Summary: Tantomile and Coricopat's connection runs deeper than any of the other Jellicles realize; their shared minds and fluid identities intertwine the two in a way that isn't easily understood by most. Cassandra's determined to do her best, though.
Relationships: Cassandra & Coricopat (Cats), Cassandra/Tantomile (Cats), Coricopat & Tantomile (Cats)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	Dizzy on the Comedown

**Author's Note:**

> This story is somewhat based on my own experiences with OSDD, but I feel I should be absolutely clear and say that this is in no way meant to be actual, proper representation of DID, OSDD, or any other disorder, hence why it's under the Multiplicity/Plurality tag instead.

Cassandra purrs softly, rolling onto her back and absorbing what she can of the sunlight that still manages to stubbornly peer through the gathering clouds above. The air is thick with the promise of summer rain, perhaps days of it, and she’s inclined to enjoy the last remnants of the earlier afternoon’s nice weather for as long as she can.

Her eyes snap open, though, when she catches a familiar but unexpected scent. Rolling back over and getting to her feet, she looks over the edge of the windowsill to see a dark, mottled tabby looking back up at her in an equally curious fashion. “Tantomile!” she exclaims, surprised but not unhappy.

The other queen smiles and jumps up onto the small tree by the house, climbing it easily and eventually settling on a sturdy branch close to the window. “Hello, Cassandra.”

“Hello,” Cassandra says, peering down past her. “Is Coricopat here?”

“Not today.”

“Oh?” Cassandra attentively twitches her ears in Tantomile’s direction. “Where is he? I don’t often see you two apart.”

“Not here.”

Cassandra’s ears turn back outwards. A reason she likes Tantomile is that she’s honest and doesn’t tend to mince words, so this vague answer has Cassandra a little annoyed. “Yes, we’ve established that. So if he’s not here, then where _is_ he?”

Tantomile’s eyebrows raise just a bit. It’s not an action that might even register to Cassandra had it been any cat other than Tantomile or Coricopat; the two can be rather subtle in their expressions sometimes, so taking note of the little things can be important when it comes to reading them. “Nowhere in particular.”

Well, then. If Tantomile wants to be difficult, Cassandra won’t let it get to her. She doesn’t usually see the twins outside the annual ball, anyway, so perhaps the two aren’t as inseparable as Cassandra had assumed. Still, it feels odd to see one without knowing the other is nearby. “Alright. Is there a reason you’re here? I don’t mind,” she adds quickly when she sees one of Tantomile’s eyebrows raise a little higher, “but you don’t live anywhere near this far out, do you? I’ve never seen you on these streets.”

“…I don’t,” she says slowly. “I haven’t really been living anywhere lately, actually.”

“What? What happened?”

“Another human moved in. Pregnant. Brought a dog, too, and neither seem very fond of us.” She smiles sadly. “You know how it is.”

“Well, I can’t say that I do, personally,” Cassandra says, reflecting on her own lone human, “but I’ve heard such stories many times. I’m sorry, Tantomile. You’ve just been wandering, then? Is anyone looking for you?”

She sighs and turns her head towards the setting sun, looking pensive. “Perhaps. My human… She seemed to want it to work, but… That dog nearly cost us an eye. We had no choice.”

“An _eye?”_ Cassandra squints, studying the other cat’s blemish-free face intently. “When was that? It must have healed fast.”

Tantomile’s eyes widen a bit, as if she’s just realized something. “Coricopat’s eye, I mean,” she says. “He’s got a rather unsightly scar now.”

“He’s alright, though?”

“Yes, he can still see just fine. His pride was wounded more than anything else, I think… He’s feeling a little insecure about the whole thing.”

Cassandra laughs and lets it trail off into a teasing purr. “I’m sure it makes him look _dangerous,”_ she says. “Tell him all the queens will be eager to hear about his battle with such a fierce Pollicle.”

“It was no Pollicle, and it wasn’t much of a battle,” Tantomile says with a roll of her eyes.

“Surely _they_ don’t need to know such insignificant details.”

Tantomile’s mouth curls up into a smile that makes Cassandra feel a swell of satisfaction. “I’ll be sure to pass on your wisdom,” she chuckles as she gets to her feet. “Queens aren’t really his type, though, so here’s hoping toms will be just as impressed.”

“Twice as much, I’d say!” Cassandra laughs, and Tantomile flashes her a charming grin before turning away, preparing to hop down to the branch below. “Where are you off to now?”

“To keep wandering, I suppose,” she says. “We don’t feel safe in the junkyard. It’s far too close to our old home, and there are too many humans who’d recognize us if they saw us.”

“You’re already awfully far from there. There’s a reason you only ever see me at the junkyard during the Jellicle Ball, you know.” Cassandra nods her head towards the back of the yard, and Tantomile follows her gaze to an old, decaying garage attached to a shed that’s not in much better condition. “Not to mention there’s a storm coming through tonight. Why don’t you stay here for now?”

Tantomile is silent for a moment, but then she nods. “I suppose I should. I do hate the rain.” She turns to offer Cassandra an appreciative smile. “Thank you.”

“Oh, stop, I could never just leave you out here.” Cassandra shakes her head and jumps off the windowsill to the branch just a bit below the one Tantomile is still perched on, pausing to reach up and give her a quick, friendly nose bump. “This new vagabond lifestyle of yours is certainly enchanting, in theory, but not particularly safe. Come on, I’ll show you how to get in.”

* * *

“You should be safe in here,” Cassandra says as she turns to watch Tantomile follow her into the shed. “I know it looks pretty rundown, but I’ve taken shelter here plenty when I’ve stayed outside past my human’s bedtime. It’s sturdy.”

“Thank you, again,” Tantomile says. “We weren’t really sure where we were going to go after this, to be honest.”

“I had a feeling.” Cassandra glances at the dirty window above them, watching with a frown as rain starts to lightly patter against it. “So… Will Coricopat know to meet you here? Are you sure he’s alright?”

“Oh, yes,” Tantomile says as she paws at some blankets in a corner of the shed. “He’s safe. He’ll be here by tomorrow, I’m sure.”

Cassandra raises an eyebrow. “You're _sure?”_

“Yes.”

She eyes the other cat curiously, but decides not to probe any further. “Alright… I suppose I’ll leave you to settle in, then.” She hops up to the windowsill and looks down at Tantomile one more time. “…I’ll bring you some food in the morning, okay?”

Before Tantomile can answer, Cassandra squeezes herself out of the barely open window and scampers towards home, eager to get out of the rain as soon as possible.

* * *

The house shakes and groans and Cassandra curls up tighter, her sleep-addled mind determined to fall back into unconsciousness. The storm is turning out to be much worse than she thought it would be, and the contrast between the roaring wind outside and her warm spot on the floor is a comforting one.

Suddenly, a cacophony of noise erupts outside; first groaning, then cracking, snapping, then finally a deafening crash that sends Cassandra’s eyes flying open in horror and realization.

_Tantomile!_

She finds her energy almost instantly, jumping to her feet and scrambling towards the window, peering outside and feeling a cold shot of dread straight to her heart when she sees the shed’s roof half-destroyed beneath a large, fallen branch. Cassandra curses, mind racing as she paces the sill.

Another loud crash sends her mind into overdrive, an idea forming quickly; she bolts, racing out of the kitchen and down the basement stairs. The small window near the ceiling is open just a few inches, though it’s enough that the concrete floor below it is soaked with the rainwater that’s been pouring in all night. More importantly, it’s enough that Cassandra feels a spark of hope light up in her chest as she darts over and jumps up, scrambling to shove it open further and squeeze herself through. “Tantomile!” she yowls, praying the storm is loud enough to muffle her cries from her human sleeping upstairs. She finally manages to wriggle out, barely stopping herself from losing her footing in the roaring wind before taking off for the shed.

She looks up as she comes to a stop, assessing the damage. The roof hasn’t collapsed entirely, but it still makes her feel sick with worry as she leaps for the window and nudges it open further with her head so she can more easily slip through.

She stands on the sill, eyes scanning the room frantically until they come to rest on a collapsed figure in the corner. “Tantomile!” she cries, leaping down and running over to check her body for injuries. She seems to be fine, though she’s definitely out cold. Something must have bumped her on the head, Cassandra figures; there’s no way she’s sleeping through this.

She gathers Tantomile in her arms and drags her towards the garage door. It sits about a foot and a half off the ground, offering freedom but shuddering dangerously as the wind carries on around it. Moving as quickly as she can, she ducks underneath and pulls Tantomile with her. The tip of her tail barely escapes the garage before the door falls shut with a slam.

Cassandra pauses to catch her breath, panting heavily as she collapses, leaning against Tantomile’s body. She’s _so_ tired, but so close to home. She doesn’t know what her human will do if Tantomile is discovered, but she decides it can’t be worse than what this raging storm has to offer. Forcing herself to her feet, Cassandra gathers her strength and continues their trek back to the house.

By the time she makes it back to the window, she’s so exhausted that the fall to the basement floor inside doesn’t even register as a possibility to her as she backs in, dragging Tantomile with her. She’s reminded of the drop quickly, though, when her hind feet hit air and she loses her balance. Both cats tumble down, Cassandra landing in a particularly rough manner as her head knocks against the concrete.

She moans, forcing her eyes back open to search for Tantomile and breathing a shaky sigh of relief when she sees her lying in an unharmed heap against the wall. Cassandra lets her eyes fall shut again, allowing herself to succumb to the darkness clouding her vision.

**Author's Note:**

> The rating probably won't change, but more focal pairings/characters will almost definitely be added in the future, with Coricopat/Mistoffelees being an especially likely possibility. We'll see!


End file.
